Liquid-measuring vessel



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheec 1.Y

H. P. & S. L. BARNHART. LIQUID MEASUMNG VESSEL.

No. 421,155. `Patented Feb. 11,1890@ ATTEST, Y |N\/ENT0RS.

(No'Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 12.

ILP. an S. L. BARNHART. hLIQUID MEASURING VESSEL. A

N0.,4z1,155. 1 .Patent-ed Peb. 11,1890.

FlG. 2.. 2'

ATTEST, M' m' INVENTORS- M y @www UNITED .STATES YPATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY PATTEN BARNHART AND SAMUEL LINDSEY BARNHART, OF

POTSDAM, NEV YORK.

LIQUID-MEASURING VESSEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,155, dated February 11, 1890. Application filed June 29, 1889. Serial No. 316,104. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that We, HARVEY PATTEN BARNHART and SAMUEL LINDsEY BARNHART, citizens of the United States, residing at Potsdam, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring Vessels, of which the following is a specifica, tion.

Our improvement has relation to measuring devices for liquids, such as canbe readily adjusted to a large or original containingvessel-msuch, e. g., as is used for shipment purposes-and is designed more particularly for milledealers in selling milk by measure from the Wagon While the same is being transported from house to house.

Thedesign of our improvement is to pro vide means which will enable the vender to draw from the same can in one operation and measure out therefrom any stated or required number of pints or quarts or gallons orother predetermined quantity With exactness and dispatch Without the necessity of subjecting the contents of the original containing-'vessel to contamination or exposure by the removal of any cover or lid.

To this end our invention consists in the apparatus hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying draWings,Wherein like characters indicate similar parts in the several views, and in which--` Figure l isa view showing in side elevation an ordinary millvcan with our measuring-vessel attached; Fig. 2, a view, partly in section, of the measuring-vessel, showing the Operating parts, While Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate details, as hereinafter more particularly referred toa l A represents an ordinary m1lk-can, such as is usually employed in the transportation and shipment of milk. It is provided for use 1n connection with our measuring-vessel, as will be hereinafter described, With an opening or passage a in its vertical wall near the bottom of the can.

B is the measuring-vessel., preferably cyl lindrical in cross-section, open at each end.,

and provided with close-fitting covers. Y

Vithin the cylinder and near its top is rmly secured. the fulcrum block or post l),

having a forward projection into the vessel. This block is slotted, as shown in detail, (see Fig. 6,) and is provided near its free eX- tremity with the depression or notch b.

Vithin the slotted fulcrum-block rests the two-armed lever C, the pin c keeping the 1ever Within the slot by means of its seat in the notch upon the extremity of the fulcrumpost. This lever O at its upper end terminates in an angular arm, carrying at its extremity the capped pin c', projecting from one face, and carrying also at the junction of the arm With the lever the pin c2, projecting from the same face as does capped pin c. The lever C at its lower end also terminates in an angular arm, carrying at its extremity a flexible rubber-disk m of particular construction, operating as a valve in connection With an opening in the cylinder registering With the before-described opening a in the can A. At a pointbetWeen the fulcrum-post and the lower arm of the lever C the said lever is provided with a spring c3. This spring in this instance is of leafshape, projecting in an angular direction to bear against the Wall of the cylinder with its curved free end.

D is the piston-rod exten ding centrally throughout the vessel B, carrying at its lower extremity a second flexible rubber disk m', operating as a valve in connection With the dischargeopening in the bottom. At a point near the upper end of the piston-rod directly opposite the upper angular arm of the lever O is formed the loop d, through Which extends the handled lever E, having in its forward end the L-sha-ped notch @which engages the capped pin c upon the forward extremity of the upper arm of lever C, thereby securing an upper and lowerbearing on said pin. The other end of lever E projects through slot b2 in the 'upper part of the Wall of the measuring-vessel and terminates in the handle e', having, as shown, a doWnWardlyinclined tilt. This loop (Z is elongated to such an extent that when the handled lever E is depressed the same will not come in contact with the loop. It is so attached to the rod, however, that when the lever E is lifted it Willcome in contact with the loop and force the rod up- Ward.'

F is the cover of the vessel B, having the IOO tremity of the arm.

broad rim or flange f, which engages snugly the inner surface of the vessel. Centrally located within the cover is a' tubular bearing f2, which projects well above and below the top, the upper portion of the bearing being closed and carrying a spring f3, which may be of any well-known form, as a block of indiarubber or a coil of wire, while the lower portion serves as abearing or guide for the piston-rod. It is important that this cover be made, either by friction or by positive means, to engage firmly with the cylinder to prevent displacement by the action of the piston-rod. The lower end of the vessel is provided with detachable bottom G: (See Fig. `3.) This bottom is adapted to be held securely to its seat upon the lower end of the vessel by two cam-levers G G', (see Fig. 3,) secured upon opposite sides of the bottom and engaging each, by means of a shackle g, with a broad, fiat hook g', firmly riveted upon the outer periphery of the vessel, just above its lower edge. The bottom is provided with a rim or flange G2, fitted to exactly engage with the inner face of the vessels lower edge. This lower edge is also rimmed or outwardly flanged, as'. at g2.

To guard against leakage, an elastic packing-ring G3 is provided of such a size as to go over the rim G2 and be compressed between that portion of the detachable bottom outside of the flange or rim G2 and the cylinder-fiange g2, making, thus a closure absolutely tight when the cam-levers G G are swung up and by means of their shackles are made to engage with the hooks. The cams, it is noted, are so timed with relation to the levers, the shackles bearing them, and the hooks with which they engage that the levers when swung up against the wall of the vessel each forms therewith a toggle-lock which can be broken only by pulling the lever out past the line of vertical strain, when the expansion of the elastic packing-ring', as

well as the operation of gravity, will tend to Y finish the separation of the parts.

H -is an ordinary graduated scale secured to the front of the-vessel in such position as to be readily observable, the scale-marks being accurately determinative of the quantity of fluid within the measuring-vessel whena-t the level of the mark indicated.

The construction of 'the inlet-valve M is shown in Fig. 5, wherein the flexible rubber concave-convex disk m is provided upon its convex or bearing surface with a projection or hub/n, perforated and provided with a thimble n. Through the disk, hub, and surrounding thimble passes the screw-threaded bolt n2, firmly holding the disk upon the exl/Vhen the two-armed lever is slid into its place, the rubber disk is readily forced through the tubular bearing as, which connects the respective openings in can A and measuring-vessel B. Being of flexible material, the disk immediately returns to its normal shape and operates at once as a valve upon its seat.

The outlet-valve M is a modification of 1nlet-valve M, wherein the convex face is pro vided with a washer m2 and the screw-threaded bolt fastens the disk to the piston-rod end, so as to present the convex surface to the valve-seat.

The parts being, therefore, as herein described, the operation is as follows: Can or tank A being filled with milk and the measuring-vessel B being properly attached thereto in any suitable manner, the inlet-valve M is held firmly upon its seat by means of the spring c3, while-the outlet-valve is held firmly to its seat in they bottom by means of the spring f3, bearing upon the upper end of the piston-rod D. The operator takes hold of handle e', and, bearing firmly down thereupon, tilt-s lever E, which action compresses spring c3, the lever() rocking upon its fulcrum-pin c in post b, and opens valve M. The handle is held an instant until the level of the milk in the cylinder reaches the graduated glass in the measuring-vessel at the notation giving the amount required, whereupon the operator withdraws the pressure on the handled lever, and the spring at once closes the inlet-valve. To discharge the contents of the measuring-vessel, the operator has only to lift upon the same handled lever E, whereupon piston-rod D is made to compress the spring f3, and the outlet-valve M is opened. Then the desired amount has been discharged, thelever is dropped,and thesprin g shuts the valve at once.

t'will be observed that the engagement of the handled lever E with the two-armed lever C, in the manner described and shown, forms, for the purposes and function of the inletspring only, a junction which is the same in substance as if these two members were rigidly united. They are jointed and made partible, however, not only for ease and readinessof removal from the cylinder and replacement therein,but to secure, in connection with the piston-rod, a function which would be absent if their union were not flexible. Vhen the cylinder is to be emptied, pin c upon lever C becomes the immediate fulcrum upon which the handled lever E rests and upon which the piston-rod is lifted. This transfer of the Weight from fulcrum b to fulcrum c is a very important feature of our improvement, dependence upon this transfer being` relied on to keep the inlet-valve shut while the outletvalve remains open. It is to be observed that the fulcrum-post b isof such projection from the wall of the vessel that the upper end or short arm of lever C, when the valve is closed, rest-s against the wall, as does also the slotted extremity of handled lever E, engaging with pin c thereon.

The advantages of this construction are apparent. measuring-vessel which cau be attached to IOO IZO

W'e provide, first, a graduated any tank or can Without difficulty, and which permits the operator to draw and deliver different stated quantities of milk with perfect accuracy, with the same measure, and from the same tank or can Without readjustrnent or loss of time; secondly, to guard against the constant danger arising in the handling of milk, from foulnessand the presence of disease-germs lodged in hidden and inaccessible parts of the carrying and delivering vessels, we have made our measuring device so capable of complete detachability that the absolute cleanliness of every part is easily securable, and this result is had with a readiness of replacement and simplicity of construction that is highly satisfactory in use, for, as may be readily apprehended from the foregoing' description, when the cover and the detachable bottom have been each removed the cylinder is open at both ends, and the handled lever, the two-armed lever, and the pistonmod all become at once removable for the purpose of being subjected to a thorough cleansing in hot water and the later purifying and drying action of the sun; so, also, With the open-ended cylinder, as well as with the cover and the detachable bottom.

Having now therefore fully described the nature of our invention and particularly ascertained its character, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, and claim as of our invention, is-m l. In a measuring-vessel having in its upper vertical wall aslot b2, and in its lower vertical Wall an inletbpening, and in its bottom an outletopening, the combination, with the handled lever E, of the two-armed lever C, fulcrumed upon post l) and carrying inletvalve M, the pston-rod D, carrying at its lower end outlet-valve M, and having at its upper end loose engagement with said handled lever E, and means, as set forth, Whereby, when the detachable handled lever E is engaged Within the closed vessel with the upper end of lever C centrally fulcrun'ied, at b, the said two levers become jointed to adapt the piston-rod to be lifted by the handled lever to open the outlet-valve Without affecting the operation of the inlet-valve, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a measuring-vessel of the character described, of the handled lever E, having engaging means, as hook e, the twoarmed lever C, mounted upon fulcrum-post b and having upon 011e end means, as pins c and c2, for engagement with said handled lever, and on the other inlet-valve M, the piston-rod D, engaged with handled lever by loop CZ at its upper end and carrying outletvalve M at its other, as set forth.

3. In a measuring-vessel having an inletopening in its vertical wall and an outletopening in its bottom, the combination, with the handled lever, of the pistonrod having means, as loop d, for detachable engagement With said lever, and carrying the valve which controls the outlet1 opening, and the twoarmed lever fulcrumed Within the said vessel, and carrying upon one arm the valve controlling the inletopening and upon the other a device for engaging the said handled lever,

whereby both the inlet and outlet valves are controlled by a single operating-lever, as set forth.

4. The graduated chamber having an inletopening and an outlet-openng in combination with the handled lever, the pistonerod provided with valve M, and the twonarmed lever fulcrunied within the chamber and carrying upon 011e arm the valve M, carrying also the spring' c3 midway between the fulcrum and the valve,'and having upon the extremity of the other arm means for engagement with the said handled lever, whereby the operation of filling and emptying the chamber is accomplished with a single set of means, as set forth.

5. The combination, with an open-ended measuringvessel comprising a cylindric Wall, a removable to p, and a ti gl1t-1itting attachable and detachable bottom, of the handled lever, the inlet and outlet valves, the piston-rod carrying the latter, and the two-armed lever fulcrumed Within the chamber and carrying the fermer, the several elements being detachable, whereby upon removal of the cover and bottom the operating parts of the measuring device may be readily taken out, cleansed, and returned, as set forth. s

HARVEY PATTEN BAR'NHART.

SAMUEL LIN DSEY' BARNHART. Witnesses: A

O. E. SANFORD,

F. M. PEeK. 

